Door guide



July 20, 1965 R. 1. KLEIN 3,195,1"3'1 DOOR GUIDE Filed March 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I. M

INVENTOR. ROBE Q7 KL IN July 20, 1965 R. 1. KLEIN 3,195,171

' noon GUIDE Filed March 21, 1963 2 Shets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7.

/ INVENTOR ROBEkT KL EI/V United States Patent 3,195,171 1300B GUIDE Robert K. Klein, 3 Beechwood Drive, Lawrence, NX. Filed Mar. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 267,389 8 Claims. on. 16-90) This is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 97,246, filed March 21, 1961, now abandoned, and entitled Door Guide. The present invention relates generally to guides for sliding doors, and in particular to a door gib for guiding the lower end of an elevator door relative to an underlying track or guideway formed in a door saddle.

In the mounting of an elevator door in the corresponding framed opening of an elevator cab, and in similar door installations, it is the practice to employ one or more door gibs which are appropriately securely at the lower edge of the elevator door and are engaged within an un derlying track or guideway formed in the door saddle. In order to meet varying conditions of design and/or to reposition a particular door installation, it becomes necessary to adjust the gib, both with respect to the door and to the track. When properly adjusted the gib provides the desired guiding action and assures smooth, quiet, and relatively trouble-tree operation. The facility for ready adjustment, both longitudinally and laterally of the door and saddle, would make such door gibs much more desirable commercially and would greatly facilitate field installation and/ or adjustments.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door gib which realizes one or more of the aforesaid objectives. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a door gib which may be adjusted both longitudinally and laterally with respect to its door and saddle.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features and objects of the present invention, there is provided a door gib for guiding the lower end of the door relative to an underlying track which comprises a mounting member including first and second mounting sections extending substantially at right angles to each other. Means are provided on the first mounting sec tion which are adapted to receive attachment elements for securing the mounting member to the lower end of the door, with the second mounting section overlying the track. An elongated gib body is arranged beneath the second mounting section in position to be received in the track. Cooperating means on the gib body and the second mounting member are provided for mounting the gib body on the second mounting section in an adjusted position, both laterally and longitudinally of the mounting member. In a specific illustrative embodiment, the cooperating means includes three spaced stud holes formed in the gib body and spaced sets of mounting holes formed in the second mounting section. The mounting holes in the sets are arranged in successive pairs having a center to center spacing corresponding to the center to center spacing of a pair of stud holes. Stud means extend through at least one pair of aligned stud and mounting holes and mount the gib body on the mounting member.

As a feature of the invention, the gib body may be rigidly mounted on the mounting member by employing a pair of mounting studs which extend through aligned pairs of stud and mounting holes and rigidly mount the gib body on the mounting member in a prescribed longitudinally and laterally adjusted position.

As a further feature of the invention, a pivot or swivel mounting may be provided for the gib body on the mounting member by employing a single mounting stud extending through the intermediate one of the three stud holes .and a selected and aligned one of the mounting holes such as to pivotally mount the gib body on the mounting member.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of several presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiments according to the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a door gib embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view showing the improved door gib mounted on the lower end of a door;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2, but inverted for the sake of convenience, showing the door gib as mounted on the lower end of the door, with the gib body thereof being received within a track or guideway in an underlying saddle;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2, but inverted for the sake of convenience, showing the details of the improved door gib;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view similar to FIG. 2 and showing a swivel or pivotal installation for the door gib;

PIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 5, but inverted for the sake of convenience, showing constructional details of the swivel installation;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the mounting member for a further embodiment of a door gib in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a stud assembly for use in conjunction with the mounting member shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, showing the modified door gib mounted on the lower edge of the door, with the gib body thereof received within the track or guideway in the underlying door saddle;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 10'1l0 of FIG. 9 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 1l11 of FIG. 9 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown an improved door gib 10 embodying features of the present invention which includes a mounting member or gib chassis 12 including first and second mounting sections 14, 1 6 extending substantially at right angles to each other. Conveniently, the mounting member or gib chassis 12 may be fabricated of commercially available angle iron stock. The first mounting section 14, is provided with a number of countersunk holes -18 which are adapted to receive attachment elements, as will be subsequently described, for securing the mounting member 12 to the lower end of a door D, with the second mounting section 16 extending substantially horizontally and overlying a track or guideway T in a door saddle S. The second mounting section 16 is provided with spaced sets or patterns of mounting holes, the holes in the left set being designated by the reference numeral 20, and the holes in the right set being designated by the reference numeral 22. In this illustrative embodiment, seven mounting or adjustment holes are provided in each of the sets, with the holes in each set being spaced from each other at approximately increments. Five mounting or adjustment holes in each set are arranged in a row generally longitudinally and angularly of the mounting section 16, with the remaining two mounting holes of each set being arranged in a second row which is offset from and generally parallel to the first row.

ment. Practical experience indicates that door gibs fabricated of 100% virgin nylon exhibit the above properties and assure quietness, durability and smoothness in operation. The gib body 24 is provided with first and second end-adjacent stud holes 26, 23 arranged adjacent the opposite ends thereof and .a third or intermediate stud hole 30 arranged substantially equidistant from the endadjacent stud holes26, 23. The mountingholes in the sets on the mounting section (Le. mounting holes 20, 22) are arranged in successive pairs, each having a center to center spacing corresponding to the center to center spacing of the end-adjacent stud holes 26, 28.

A stud assembly including a spacer'rnember 32 and an assembly screw 34 may be extended through any pair of aligned stud and mounting holes (i.e. stud hole 26 and mounting hole 2%) for mounting the gib body 24 on the mounting member 12, with the inner face of. the gib body 24 abuttingthe outer face of the second mounting sectionlfi. The spacer member 32 of the stud assembly includes an enlarged head 32a and a projecting sleeve 32]) of smaller diameter which is provided with an internally threaded bore 32c opening through the end of the sleeve 321) remote from the enlarged head 32a. The assembly screw 34 includes an enlarged head 34a and an externally threaded shank 34b which may be extended through any one of the mounting holes (i.e. mounting hole and received within the internally threaded bore 320 of the spacer member 32. As seen best in FIGS. 1 and 4, the respective stud holes 26, 28 areof aconfiguration to receive the spacer member 32 of the stud assembly 32, 34 and include a large diameter head section 26a which is of a cross section comparable tothe head 32a of the spacer member 32 and a smaller diameter sleeve section 26b which is of a cross section comparable to the spacer sleeve 32b. Various materials are suitable for the manufacture of the stud assembly 32, 34, but a machined, heat-treated alloy steel has been found to exhibit the desired structural strength for long periods of commercial use.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 2 to 4 inclusive for a description of a typical installation of my improved door gib 10 on the door D (i.e. a slidable elevator door) which normally overlies the threshold saddle S provided with the track or guideway T therein.

Initially, and as seen best in FIGS. 2 and 4, the elongated gib'body 24 is rigidly mounted in the requisite position both longitudinally and laterally of the mounting member 12 by inserting the spacer member 32 of a first stud assembly into the corresponding hole or bore 26 in the gib body 24. The mounting is completed by inserting the assembly screw 34 from the rear of the mounting section 16 of the mounting member 12 and threading the shank 34b into the corresponding internal- 1y threaded bore 320 of the spacer member 32. In a similar fashion, a second stud assembly including spacer member 32' and an assembly screw 34' are assembled in the stud hole 28 and in the corresponding mounting hole 22. This will rigidly but releasably attach the elongated gib body 24 to the mounting member 12.

Thereupon, the mounting member 12 is brought into a mounting position, with the first mounting section or leg 14 extending vertically and against one'face of the door D and with the second mounting section 16 butted up against the lower edge of the door in position to overlie the track T in the saddle S. As seen in FIG. 4, the mounting member 12 may be secured in this position by engaging appropriate Wood screws or self-tapping 4 V metal screws 36 through the countersunk holes 18 in the first mounting section or leg 14.

If necessary, it is relatively simple to readjust the position of the elongated gib body 24 relative to the mounting member 12. When such readjustment is to be made, the door D will be installed within its framing opening in the elevator cab and it will not be possible to disengage the door gib 24 from within the track or guideway T without sliding the entire gib 14) across the lower edge of the door to a position wherein the gib 12 may be lifted out of the track T. This is accomplished by removing the several attachment screws 36, sliding the gib 10 along the track T to a clearance position relative to the door D, and then removing the same from the track T. It is then but a relatively simple matter to unscrew the respective mounting studs or assemblies, reposition the gib body 24, and remount the gib body 24 at a different pair of mounting holes in the mounting section 16.

With the same basic components including the mounting member 12, the elongated gib body 24 and the respective mounting studs or assemblies 32, 34 and 32',

'34, it is possible to swivel mount the elongated gib body 24 on the mounting member 12. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 the stud assembly 32, 34 may be engaged in the intermediate or central studopening 39 and any one corresponding aligned mounting hole in the mounting section 16. For such swivel mount, it is preferable to interpose a serrated washer 38 between the elongated gib body 24 and the adjacent face of the second mounting sction or leg'16 of the mounting member 12 to enhance the free swiveling or pivoting of the elongated gib body 24 on the mounting member 12. The other mounting stud or assembly 32', 34' is preferably engaged in a mounting hole in the mounting section 16 which is generally in substantial alignment with and spaced from one end of the elongated gib body (see FIG. 5) to serve as a safety pin or stud in the event the elongated gib body 24 is broken. It will be appreciated that if the gib body 24 breaks in the installation illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 inclusive, both ofthe installedstud assemblies will guide the lower edge of the door D in relation to the saddle S until replaced.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 7 through 11 inclusive of the drawings, there is shown a further embodiment of an improved door gib 110 embodying further features of the present invention.

The door gib 110 includes a mounting member or gib chassis 112 including first and second mounting sections 114, 116 extending at right angles to each other. The first mounting section 114 is provided with two rows of countersunk holes 118, each row of which is adapted to receive attachment elements for securing the mounting member 112 to the lower end of the door D with the'first mounting section 114 extending vertically against one face ofthe door D and the second mounting section 116 extending horizontally in abutting relation with the lower end of the door D and overlying the track or guideway T in the door saddle S. The second mounting section 116 is provided with spaced sets or patterns of mounting holes, theholes in the left set being designated by the reference numeral 120 and the holes in the'right set being designated by the reference numeral 122. In this illustrative embodiment, nine mounting or adjustment holes are pro.- vided in each of the sets, with the holes in each set being spaced from each other at approximately inch increments. Five mounting or adjustment holes in each set are arranged in a row generally longitudinally and ,angularly of the mounting section 116, with the remain- In this illustrative embodiment, the second mounting section 116 is provided with auxiliary guiding means on each end thereof arranged relative to the elongated gib body 124 to supplement the guiding action thereof. The auxiliary guiding means includes three guiding fingers 116a, 1161'), 1160 formed at one end of the second mounting section 116 and three other guiding fingers 116d, 116e and 116 formed at the other end thereof. The intermediate guiding fingers 116b, flee at the opposite ends of the second mounting section 116 are bent at right angles to the second mounting section 116, with the remaining guiding fingers 116a, 1160, 116d, 116 extending in coplanar relation to second mounting section and being bendable to operative positions at right angles thereto as required during use. In the event of mechanical failure of the gib body 124, for one reason or another, the presence of the bent-down auxiliary or supplemental guiding fingers will continue to eilect guiding until such time as the gib body is replaced.

As in the previous embodiment, the elongated gib'body 12-4 is adjustable both laterally and longitudinally of the second mounting section 116 and is provided with first and second end-adjacent stud holes and an intermediate stud hole, one of the end-adjacent stud holes being designated by the reference numeral 128. The mounting holes in the sets on the second mounting section 116 are arranged in successive pairs, each said pair having a center to center spacing corresponding to the center spacing of the endadjacent stud holes.

In this illustrative embodiment, the stud assembly includes a spacer member 132 and an assembly screw 134, the details of which are seen best in the exploded perspective View of PEG. 8. The stud assembly may be extended through any pair of aligned stud and mounting holes for mounting the gib body 124 on the mounting member 112, with the inner face of the gib body 124- abutting the outer face of the second mounting section 116 and with the arrangement such as to provide the rigid attachment of the gib body 124 to the mounting member 112 (see FIG. 2) or the central pivot for the gib body 124 on the mounting member 112 (see FIG. 5). The spacer member 132 of the stud assembly includes an enlarged head 132a which is appropriately slotted and a projecting sleeve 13211 which terminates in a key 1320 of a shape corresponding to the oblong keyways 120, 122. The projecting sleeve 13% at the end formed with the key 132s is provided with an axially-extending internally threaded bore 1320. which receives the externally threaded shank 13% of the attachment screw 134, the latter having an enlarged slotted head 134a. As seen best in FIGS. 9 and 11, the respective stud holes 12.8 are of a configuration to receive the spacer memer 132, with the key 1322c seated within the keyway 122 and held therein by the attachment screw 134. The lower edge or end of the door D may be appropriately cut away to accommodate the slotted head 134a of the attachment screw 134, as seen in FIGS. 9 and 11.

The installation of the gib lid is made substantially in the manner previously described. However, in this embodiment, the presence of two sets of countersunk holes 113 in the first mounting section 114 facilitates a degree of adjustment of the mounting member or gib chassis 112 in relation to the door D. As seen in FIG. 9, three attachment screws 136 are employed to attach the mounting member 112 to the door, the screws being either wood screws or self tapping metal screws in accordance with the material used to fabricate the door. When mounted, the gib body 124 projects into the track T in the saddle S, with the coplanar fingers 116a, 1160, and 116d, 116 abutting the lower end or under edge of the door D and the struckdown fingers 116b, 1162 projecting into the track T and spaced in substantial end to end alignment with the interposed gib body 124, as seen best in FIGS. 9 and 10. From time to time, other aligned pairs of auxiliary guiding fingers may be bent down to supplement the guiding action of the gib body 124, depending upon the conditions met in filed installations.

any particular field installation. The keying of the stud assembly 132, 134 to the mounting member 112 virtually precludes the application of torque to the stud. For all practical purposes, the stud assembly is integral with the mounting member or gib chassis 112 which contributes to the structural strength of the assembly. In practice, the gib 116 will sustain a thrust of as much as 250 pounds without fracture. By appropriately dimensioning the gib body, the auxiliary guide fingers, and the arrangement of the two sets of keyways 120, 122, it is possible to guide doors which vary in thickness from Vs of an inch to 2%. inches and guideways which run anywhere from of an inch to of an inch.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that there has been provided in accordance with the present invention an improved adjustable door gib which may be mounted either for guiding in a fixed position or for guiding on a swivel mount. The gib exhibits a high order of flexibility and is capable of meeting various conditions of design and Long periods of continuous service under operating conditions are assured, particularly when the gib body is fabricated of nylon or similar self-lubric plastic having a relatively low fractional coeificient.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

I claim:

1. A door gib for guiding the lower end of a door relative to an underlying track comprising a mounting member, means on said mounting member adapted to receive attachment elements for securing said mounting member to said lower end of said door, an elongated gib body adapted to extend into said track, and cooperating means on said gib body and said mounting member for mounting said gib body on said mounting member in an adjusted position both laterally and longitudinally of said mounting member, said cooperating means includes a pair of spaced stud holes formed in said gib body and spaced sets of mounting holes formed in said mounting member, the mounting holes in said sets being arranged in successive pairs having a center to center spacing corresponding to the center to center spacing of said pair of stud holes such that said pair of stud holes may be aligned with a selected one of said successive pairs of mounting holes, successive sets of mounting holes being disposed in spaced locations both longitudinally and laterally of said mounting member to enable adjustment of said gib body both longitudinally and laterally relative to said mounting member, and a pair of mounting studs extending through said alinged pairs of stud and mounting holes and securing said gib body to said mounting member.

2. A door gib according to claim 1 including at least one guide finger adjacent each end of said mounting member and oriented relative to said elongated gib body to supplement the guiding action thereof in said track.

3. A door gib for guiding the lower end of a door relative to an underlying track comprising a mounting member including first and second mounting sections extending at right angles to each other, means on said first mounting section adapted to receive attachment elements for securing said mounting member to said lower end of said door wherein said second mounting section overlies said track, an elongated gib body adapted to extend into said track, and cooperating means on said gib body and said second mounting section for mounting said gib body on said second mounting section in an adjusted position both laterally and longitudinally of said mounting member, said coopcrating means including three spaced stud holes formed in said gib body and spaced sets of mounting holes formed in said second mounting section, the mounting holes in said sets being arranged in successive pairs having a center to center spacing corresponding to the center to center spacing of a pair of said stud holes, successive sets of.

mounting holes being disposed in spaced locations both longitudinally and laterally of said mounting member to enable adjustment of said gib body both longitudinally V and laterally relative to said mounting member, and stud means extending through at least an aligned stud and mounting hole and mounting said gib body on said mounting member.

4. A door gib according'to claim 3 wherein said stud means includes a pair of mounting studs extending through aligned pairs of stud and mounting holes and rigidly mounting said gib body on said mounting member.

5; A door gib according to claim 3 wherein said stud means includes a mounting stud extending through the intermediate one of said stud holes and an aligned one of said mounting holes and pivotally mounting said gib body on said mounting member.

6. A door gib for guiding the lower end of a door relativeto an underlying track comprising a mounting member, means on said mounting member adapted to receive attachment elements for securing said mounting member to said lower end of said door, an elongated gib body adapted to extend into said track, and cooperating means on said gib body and said mounting member for mounting said gib body on said mounting member in an adjusted position both laterally and longitudinally of said mounting member, said cooperating means including aligned stud and mounting holes formed in said gib body and mounting member and stud means extending through said aligned stud and mounting holes, said mounting holes being arranged in sets disposed in spaced locations both longitudinally and laterally of said mounting member to enable mounting member including first and second mounting sections extending at right angles to each other, means on said first mounting section adapted to receive attachment elements for securing said mounting member to said lower end of said door wherein said second mounting section overlies said track, an elongated gib body adapted to extend into said track, cooperating means on said gib body and said second mounting section for mounting said gib body on said second mounting section in an adjusted position both laterally and longitudinally of said mounting member wherein said gib body guides said door during movement relative to said track, and auxiliary guiding means on said second mounting section and arranged relative to said gib body to supplement the guiding action thereof, said auxiliary guiding means including plural guiding fingers at each end of said second mounting section and integral and coplanar therewith, one of said guiding fingers at each end of said second mounting section being bent at right angles thereto and extending substantially in spaced end to end alignment with said gib'body. 8 A door gib according to claim 7 wherein said auxiliary guiding means includes three guiding fingers at each end of said second mounting section, the intermediate one of said guiding fingers at each end being'permanently bent at right angles tosaid second mounting section and the remaining one being bendable out of coplanar relation with said second mounting section.

References (Zited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,684,706 9/28 Kauth 1693 1,852,854 4/32 Norring 292-34119 2,217,489 10/40 McCormick 1693 2,295,051 9/42 Roth 24-125 2,422,436 6/47 Plaud 45 6 2,627,633 2/53 Shectman 16105 3,000,046 9/61 Foltz -L l690 O DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. BOBBY R. GAY, Examiner. 

1. A DOOR GIB FOR GUIDING THE LOWER END OF A DOOR RELATIVE TO AN UNDERLYING TRACK COMPRISING A MOUNTING MEMBER, MEANS ON SAID MOUNTING MEMBER ADAPTED TO RECEIVER ATTACHMENT ELEMENTS FOR SECURING SAID MOUNTING MEMBER TO SAID LOWER END OF SAID DOOR, AN ELONGATED GIB BODY ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO SAID TRACK, AND COOPERATING MEANS ON SAID GIB BODY AND SAID MOUNTING MEMBER FOR MOUNTING SAID GIB BODY ON SAID MOUNTING MEMBER IN AN ADJUSTED POSITION BOTH LATERALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID MOUNTING MEMBER, SAID COOPERATING MEANS INCLUDES A PAIR OF SPACED STUD HOLES FORMED IN SAID GIB BODY AND SPACED SETS OF MOUNTING HOLES IN SAID SETS BEING ARRANGED IN SUCCESSIVE MOUNTING HOLES IN SAID SETS BEING ARRANGED IN SUCCESSIVE PAIRS HAVING A CENTER TO CENTER SPACING CORRESPONDING TO THE CENTER TO CENTER SPACING OF SAID PAIR OF STUD HOLES SUCH THAT SAID PAIR OF STUD HOLES MAY BE ALIGNED WITH A SELECTED ONE OF SAID SUCCESSIVE PAIRS OF MOUNTING HOLES, SUCCESSIVE SETS OF MOUNTING HOLES BEING DISPOSED IN SPACED LOCATIONS BOTH LONGITUDINALLY AND LATERALLY OF SAID MOUNTING MEMBER TO ENABLE ADJUSTMENT OF SAID GIB BODY BOTH LONGITUDINALLY AND LATERALLY RELATIVE TO SAID MOUNTING MEMBER, AND A PAIR OF MOUNTING STUDS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ALIGNED PAIRS OF STUD AND MOUNTING HOLES AND SECURING SAID GIB BODY TO SAID MOUNTING MEMBER. 